9:50 a.m. Dr. Mclarty talks with senior Lani Pruett after chapel in the student center. The T-shirt featuring the freshman president was given to Mclarty by the freshmen class as a gift before chapel. Matt Dobson INAUGURATION: 15 e/Un-c(tile 8cen-eS' T~e last ti~e that the wo~ds "presidential inauguration" appeared in the Petit Jean was 1987. After 26 years of David B. Burks' presidency, Harding University inaugurated her fifth president. Thousands of visitors attended. A 20-by-70 foot three-dimensional banner was hung. Delegates from more than 100 colleges and universities joined the ceremony including Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe. The University Orchestra performed magnificently. More than 300 faculty members wore their academic gowns. These were some of the elements that marked the inauguration of Dr. Bruce Mclarty as the fifth president of Harding University. In addition to the succession of a president, at the core of the ceremony was a celebration of the university itself. With a 90-year history of pursuing higher education, the Harding University undergraduate programs were complemented by accredited graduate programs in business, education, theology, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and communication sciences and disorders. Seventy percent of the full-time faculty held an earned doctorate. While these numbers and facts described the academic status of the university, the story of Harding was characterized by her students, faculty and staff under the leadership of a new president. Chanhee Song 11:08 a.m. Dr. Mclarty receives a haircut from his wife Ann. "Other than giving a speech, it feels a whole lot like getting married; show up, say a few words, and someone else is doing all the work," Mclarty said. Matt Dobson 11:19 a.m. Dr. Mclarty goes over his inauguration speech in his home office before the ceremony. "It was almost as if the mission of God were in the air we breathed on this campus," Mclarty said. Matt Dobson
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